Joining the Parade for the first time this year is the New York City Volunteer Firefighters Pipe Band. One of the newest bands, they were founded in the Bronx in August 2011 by Drum Major Ken Corrigan, a retired NYS firefighter of 22 years, and Lieutenant Lionel Horry of the West Hamilton Beach Vol. Fire Department. The Pipe Major is Dan Fink and the Drum Corps is under the direction of Senior Drum Sgt. Mitch Kaplan.

They draw from active and retired volunteer firefighters, EMTs and dispatchers, and their mission is to honor the heritage of the fire service and those who have laid down their lives, both in the City of New York and abroad.

The band is honored to have three members – Corrigan, Kaplan and Horry – who responded on the morning of 9/11 to the World Trade Center. Corrigan is also a survivor of the first WTC bombing, back in February 1993.